Hazy Days and Vivid Dreams
by Pianoninja
Summary: <html><head></head>'"What's up Beckett?" he asked, his voice strained and gravelly from sleep. "It's nothing." She replied flatly, "just go back to sleep."' Beckett can't sleep and it's no fun for anyone.</html>


**Hello Lovelies! Again, it's been a while, sorry. I've started college and I'm trying not to screw up my alevels this time :') Anyway, you don't need to hear my excuses. This is something I started writing one night when I hadn't slept properly for about two weeks so excuse if it's awful. **

**Also, why did ff get rid of the divider lines? **

As she lay awake in bed, the red numbers of the clock staring back at her saying '2:36' – another three hours until she had to get up for work and she'd been awake all night for the fifth time this week – she looked over at Castle, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest as he slept but her sleep deprived brain was annoyed by the seemingly peace shattering noise of his breathing.

"Castle" she hissed through gritted teeth. "Castle" she tried again, batting a hand at his bare chest, receiving a groan from him as he awoke and mumbled,

"Mm five more minutes Kate", making her roll her eyes in frustration.

"Castle!" she spoke louder to keep his attention, "would you just… ughhh never mind" before rolling over and bundling her side of the duvet up to her chin. Castle turned over, leaning his chin on her shoulder and pulling her into him.

"What's up Beckett?" he asked, his voice strained and gravelly from sleep.

"It's nothing." She replied flatly, "just go back to sleep." Castle pulled a face into the darkness but decided to leave off and give her some space – he'd ask her about it in the morning.

At five AM, after finally catching an hour or so Kate sighed and rolled out of bed, shuffling her feet into her slippers and wandering sleepily towards the kitchen – and the coffee machine. While she sat absentmindedly gazing out of the window she didn't notice her fiancé creep up behind her until he wrapped his arms around her waist, causing her to let out a sigh. Castle smiled at her and chuckled inwardly before he said

"Good morning to you too darling" in his most sarcastic voice. "You sleep okay?" the writer queried, his voice laced with doubt. Beckett took a sip of her coffee, making a face when she found it had gone cold a long while ago, before she replied, sighing again,

"Not really no." She stood up from her chair slowly, pouring the rest of the cold brown liquid in her mug down the sink and placing it in the dish washer.

"Are you going to be ok to go to work?" Castle asked tentatively, fully expecting the glare he received from her next. "Sorry, just thought I'd ask" he retorted, holding his hands up in surrender and walking round the breakfast bar, leaning his elbows on the surface opposite her. "Go and get dressed and I'll make you a fresh coffee" he advised, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

She sipped the last few dregs of sweet coffee from her mug before picking up her badge, gun and phone and walking towards the door.

"Kate darling" Castle called after her, trying to hide the grin on his face. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked mockingly, raising his eyebrows and glancing downwards to her spotty blue socks. She followed his gaze in confusion before realising she'd forgotten her shoes and burying her head in her hands. Castle walked towards her, "come here you noodle" he laughed, engulfing her in his arms as she groaned. She escaped his arms and on hearing him laugh as she walked back towards the bedroom shouted back,

"Shut up Castle!" which only made him laugh more.

Five minutes later (and three inches taller) she made her way back towards the front door, pecking Castle on the cheek as he instructed her to

"Be careful" which he couldn't make sure of himself because he had been resigned to the loft to spend the day writing up his latest chapter which was due yesterday. Even so, he made a mental note to drop a text to Ryan and Espo and tell them to keep an eye on her for him.

"Yo Beckett! You wanna come with me?" Esposito hollered across the precinct, shooting a look to his partner when they both looked round to see Kate staring into space. "Beckett?" he called again, his voice yanking her into the present. Ryan wandered over and, his eyes full of concern, placed a hand on her shoulder querying,

"You alright?" Kate blinked her lost brown eyes frantically at the pair, bringing herself back to reality.

"Yeah. Sorry, what?" she looked over to Esposito.

"Ryan's gunna go through the CCTV footage from the parking lot, you wanna come with me to scope out our vic's place?" he explained once again. Kate nodded her head, hoping the trip out of the stuffy precinct would clear some of the exhaustion from her mind. The detective stood, up her vision clouded momentarily, causing her to lose her balance and forcing her to grab onto the desk chair behind her.

"Beckett?" Ryan, who was still hovering nearby, called out her name with a hint of concern to his voice. Beckett gripped on to the back of the chair, closing her eyes tightly and taking a few deep breaths.

"I'm ok" she replied unconvincingly as she opened her eyes, avoiding the worried glares of her colleagues as she shrugged on her black leather jacket. "Shall we get going then?" she suggested, shooting a look towards a rather confused Esposito.

"Urr Beckett" Ryan began carefully "do you really think you should be going out, you know-" Esposito shot his partner a look to tell him to stop talking before continuing,

"What's going on Kate?" The unfamiliar use of her first name in the precinct made her stomach flip with anxiety but she shook it off, replying with a smile,

"Nothing, I'm fine." The mist of tiredness seemed to be enveloping her brain, seeping into her eyes and blurring her sight again. Ryan watched on as her face turned a shade paler, stepping forward and grabbing her shoulders lightly as her body swayed.

"Beckett, be sensible" He advised sternly, watching her as she bought her hands up to her face, pressing her palms against her eyes.

"I'm ok Ryan" she whispered, unconvincingly. "I just need to-" as her sentence drifted in to a soft whimper Ryan felt her body fall limp and heavy against his hands and found himself having to assist her now unconscious form in lowering gently to the floor with her head resting on his lap. "Kate?" he spoke softly, shaking her shoulder and watched as her eyes fluttered softly.

"Detective Eposito?" the duo heard the shrill call of Victoria Gates' voice as she stepped partially out of her office, "what are you-" as she continued to walk forward she became suddenly aware of the shape of her best detective lay on the floor. Her voice lowered an octave as she barely queried "what the hell happened?"

"Uh she just fainted sir…" Esposito said uncertainly, stepping backwards slightly, allowing the captain to crouch down next to Beckett as she stirred a little, her eyelids rising slowly.

"You" she pointed a finger upwards at Esposito, "get her a glass of water. Detective Ryan, call Mr Castle."

"Thanks Javi" she thanked her colleague for the lift home as she turned her key in the door to the loft and turned the handle, leaning into the door as it clicked open.

"No problem Beckett, look after yourself yeah?" he replied, giving her a gentle hug as the pair parted ways. Kate shuffled into the lounge, dumping her bag and toeing off her shoes before she threw herself onto the sofa, leaning back and closing her eyes as her head spun.

"Kate?" she heard the concerned voice of her fiancé float across the room as he hurried out of his office. With a sigh she heaved herself back up as Castle sat down beside her, draping his huge arm around her shoulder. Before he began to speak and fuss over her she stopped him, placing one solitary finger over his lips as she said quietly,

"I'm fine Castle" to which he replied with a raise of his eyebrows, causing her to swat at his chest before she continued, "okay I'm absolutely fucking exhausted alright? but what am I supposed to do?" Her voice cracked as she sunk her head further into Castle's sweater and he began to feel the dampness of her tears on his chest. He wrapped his arms tighter around her slim form, placing soft kisses to the top of her head.

As she calmed down and lifted her head back up she closed her eyes and brushed his lips with soft, salty kisses. He ran a hand softly through her chestnut locks, resting his forehead against hers, creating their own private haven. Their intimacy was soon interrupted by the low growl of Kate's stomach and the pair shared a soft chuckle.

"I think that's probably the signal for me to go make lunch huh?" Castle joked as he tucked a curl of her hair behind her ear. "Why don't you go and get into bed and I'll make us some sandwiches" he advised his fiancé, pulling her to her feet and planting another kiss into her soft hair.

Ten minutes later he shuffled into the bedroom with a tray containing two BLTs and coffee,

"Dinner's ser-" he began to call loudly before he stopped by the dresser and looked over at the detective. She had crawled into one of Castle's over-worn, geeky t-shirts and curled up on top of the duvet, her hair was now half out of its earlier pony tail and her chest was rising and falling with the even rhythm of sleep. He couldn't help but grin at the adorable look of innocence on her face and after draping a blanket over her and planting a light kiss on her cheek he pulled the door gently to and returning to his office, leaving her to get the overdue sleep she needed and deserved.

**Hope you enjoyed! I've got a few more half written one shots that I'll try to finish and get up promptly so I'll see you soon! **

**Thank you for reading, please review if you liked it, it makes my day x **


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